Method of and flux for refining brass



t atented May 8, i923,

nanny 'rHoMAs, or cL EV'ELANQ oH o;

ammo]: or m rten roe anrimne 'BRAss.

- No Drawing.

T all whom it may comm:

.Be it known that I, HENRY THOMAS, a r citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cleveland, countyof Cuyahoga, and State;

' of Ohio, have-invented a new and useful 1111-";

' 1,.be'icast into any desired form. It is usually su f ficient'to use "from nine to ten ounces of the rfiugfvjito each hundred-pounds of metal, al-

' ,pro'vement in Methodsof and FluX'forIRe.-, fining Brass,'of which the following is' a specification, the principle-of the invention I being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguisli it from othe inventions. i 1 I,

l The present invention relates to an: im': proved method of'refining-brass, and'more particularly to a. methodof purifying or refining scrap brass and copper. Vl lhile in use, brass and copper are-quickly and ex tensively contaminated-from variouscau'ses, such -as corrosion, the intermixturelof dirt 2 with the material when in, a finely divided condition, etc-., audit is to the purification of. this scrap material that thepresentinvention is directed: .To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention then, consists f the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims. f

The following description sets forth in detail one'mcthodand one product exemplifv ing my invention, such disclosed procedure and product constituting however, but one ot various'applications of the principles of my invention My improved flux consists of a mixture offluorspar, glass and borax. In the refining of brass and copper by the use of. this fiux, the him should be charged first into the, furnaceormeltingp'ot and should initially B1 be at the bottom of th'emass of metal which 40 is to-be' purified in order that theingre: dients of the flux may work upwardly \through the molten mass-of metal and (come in contact, so far as possible, with theentire body of metal that is to be refined,

The proportions in which Ifind thefiux acts with the greatest success are two parts i of, finely ground glass to onepart of borax and-one part of fluorspar. The action of Application filed October 28, 1920. Serial No. 420,227.,

tionsf have beenifound to' very successfully remove the impurities from the metal, car- I zry'ing these impurities tothe surface of the molten metal in a sort of slag, which is then skimmed ofi', after which themetal can though-the exact amount of flux to be used shouldbe, roughly gauged in respect to the mount .oflmpurities in the scrap metal.-

When brass alloys are heated, it is essen-- tialjfto protectthe alloy by using fluxwhich Will take out the impurities and at the same time form a slag which will cover the metal in such a manner as to form a covering which ;w i ll maintain its coveringeffect through a wide range. of temperature.

Whileborax or fluorspar alone will remove ,theimpurities they do not form a slag which maintains itself over the alloy through a wide range of temperature, but when these two elements are combined with glass, a pasty stickyslag' is formed which covers the metal thoroughly throughout a very wide-range of temperature so that the resultant alloys come. out uniform even if the temperatures employed vary considerther forms may-be employed embodying the'features of my invention instead of the one here explained, change being made in the form or construction,' provided the ele ments stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated elements be employed, (whether produced ;by' my 1preferr ed method or by others embodying steps equivalent to'thosestated in the following clt -ims. 4 v

' I therefore particularly point out I and distinctly claim as my invention:-

' -1. Ina meth a ux consisting of two parts of glass, one

and one ,part of fluorspar.

the fluorspar is to hold'the several elements" a together and'to protectthe' furnace itself, while the glass and borax in these propor-' part of borax and one part offiuorspar.

v d of refining brass scrap, the ste s which consist'in fusing such scrap with t J 2. A flux for refining scrap brass, consis.t-' Q: ingof two parts offgl'ass, one part of borax' Signed by me, thi 23 day of October,

" E RY THOMAS; 

